1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,240 Hello there, fellow peregrinos. Welcome to El Camino de Santiago 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:05,920 pilgrims. Podcast where we talk. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:09,560 About planning, preparation, packing tips, tricks, hacks, 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,560 and. All things inspirational to help 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:14,600 you. On your way to Santiago. 6 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,880 And beyond. My name is Bradley Chermside, I 7 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,360 am the host and I'm also the. Author of The Only Ways. 8 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,840 West, the best selling Camino de Santiago memoir and I have 9 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,360 walked the Camino Frances the French way. 10 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,960 I've walked the Camino Portuguese, yes, the Portuguese 11 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,040 way. I've bought the Camino Ingles 12 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,440 the English way and I've walked the Camino finished there. 13 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,240 Enough about me. It is time to get into this 14 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,720 weeks episode. Lace up your boots, everybody. 15 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:50,320 We're here in the road. Hi there, fellow Perry Greenos. 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,400 Welcome to El Camino, the Santiago Pilgrims Podcast, 17 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:59,200 episode 99, where I'm going to tell you all about the winter 18 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,560 way, the Camino del Envierno that my wife and I finished 19 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:08,040 walking just last week. I am going to fill you in on all 20 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,280 of the following. Some lessons learned along the 21 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,920 way that are applicable to any Camino, not just the winter way. 22 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,080 I'll talk about a bad experience at an Albert that came 23 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,480 recommended in John Briley's guide. 24 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,320 The item I ditched this time that's been with me on every 25 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:30,200 Camino up to now, but won't be any longer. 26 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,280 I'll drop a hack that could save you time and money on getting 27 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,720 your baggage home too. It was an idea I had while 28 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,440 walking and it ended up saving us a lot of time and hassle as 29 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,840 well as money. The places on the winter way I'd 30 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,920 recommend to sleep, eat and visit, as well as in Santiago de 31 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,760 Compostela itself. Exactly why the Camino de 32 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:59,760 Livierno is now up there as one of my favorite Caminos of all 33 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,720 time, if not favorite of all time. 34 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,720 I'll share a few enchanting stories from our latest Camino 35 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:12,360 that demonstrates how that famous Camino spirit is still 36 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:17,160 very much alive and kicking. Lastly, I'll drop a few caveats 37 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,880 about the Winter Way and what you really should know about it 38 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,760 before you book your tickets. But before I do all of that, a 39 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:30,720 huge, massive thank you to all those all you lovely pilgrims 40 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,120 who bought me coffees since the last episode. 41 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:40,040 Our last podcast guest, Arlene Lasky was kind enough to buy ME3 42 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,320 coffees. Thank you so much, Arlene. 43 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:47,040 And remember everybody to please look up her book Quest for the 44 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,640 Enlightened Pilgrim. You can find it on Amazon. 45 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,920 That's Quest for the Enlightened Pilgrim. 46 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,960 Thanks also to Chrissy Bergen who bought ME3 coffees. 47 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:02,040 Chrissy, your support is hugely appreciated. 48 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,080 Thanks for all the messages and the info you sent me as well. 49 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,960 And thank you so much Chrissy for always being in my corner. 50 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,840 I really really do appreciate all your support. 51 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,640 It would be remiss of me not to mention Becca, Gina Purcell and 52 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:20,160 Al Engemark who also bought 3 coffees as well each. 53 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,520 So to all of you guys, thank you so much for your generosity, 54 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,200 thank you so much for your support. 55 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,120 It really does help motivate me to keep producing this content 56 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,400 totally for free for our fellow pilgrims. 57 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,640 Now thanks to all of those who bought those coffees because I 58 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:45,400 am in Mercia city centre in a pretty Plaza down by the river 59 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,280 enjoying a coffee. Thanks to all of the 60 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,040 aforementioned pilgrims. If anyone else would like to 61 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,680 support the podcast, just go to buymeacoffee.com/pilgrims 62 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,520 podcasts. And that's not the only way you 63 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,880 can support the podcast. You could also do so by 64 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,720 following us on Instagram and Facebook. 65 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,600 Just look for Camino the San Diego Pilgrims podcasts by 66 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,800 liking, sharing and or commenting and on our posts or 67 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,880 simply by just sending a message to say you're enjoying the 68 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,279 episodes. It does make me very happy when 69 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,640 you're all right to say hello. So let's get into it, you lovely 70 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,160 bunch, my fellow shell mates, the Kamino less traveled, the 71 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,280 absolutely jaw-dropping in more ways than one the winter way. 72 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,120 So why do I call it the road less traveled? 73 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:40,760 Well, did you know in 2025 the Winterway accounted for just 74 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:48,080 under 1% of the 530,987 pilgrims who registered at the Pilgrim 75 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,320 office in San Diego de Compostela? 76 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:56,960 So from that figure of more than half a million, only 4000 440 77 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,360 pilgrims walked it last year, compared with the French rate 78 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:07,760 242,175 and the Camino's Portuguese route 189,000 79 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,760 combined. That's combined with the central 80 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,840 and the coastal, so the road less travelled. 81 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:18,600 I say also because for the first seven days on the Camino in 82 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,880 Vienna, we did not see one other single Pilgrim. 83 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,560 The only time we saw other pilgrims was on the final day 84 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,680 and the point where we crossed paths with the Camino San Abres. 85 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:36,560 So for those looking for a quiet Camino, this is definitely one 86 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,960 to consider. I should also mention how we got 87 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,080 to the starting point. Very simple. 88 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:45,880 We got a train to Madrid from our home in Mercia and from 89 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,440 there to another train to Pomferrada, the starting point, 90 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,200 which is also on the Camino Francis, the very popular French 91 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,760 way. More than 200,000 pilgrims 92 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,280 walked that last year. So you'll need to get to Madrid 93 00:05:58,280 --> 00:06:01,800 Chez Martin station. The high speed trains leave from 94 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,520 platforms 14 to 19, so this will be a transport hub for many 95 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,040 pilgrims walking other Caminos starting at various points 96 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,440 around Spain. So Madrid Shia Martin station 97 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,440 could well be the place to catch a connecting train if you're 98 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:18,960 flying into Madrid to get on Spanish soil. 99 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:25,080 Now then, about those must see places to eat, sleep and visit 100 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:29,320 on the winter way. On the very top of that list has 101 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:35,000 to be Bellesar in Galicia. This is on stage 6 between 102 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:40,080 Monforte de Lemos and Chantada. I was quite unprepared for the 103 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:43,600 stunning views of the lake, the tiered Green Mountain sides 104 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,240 dramatically dropping into it, and the natural beauty 105 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,120 decorating the valley, rich in vegetation and grapevines. 106 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,240 I felt like I'd walked into Austria or Switzerland seen from 107 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,920 the sound of musicals. Something like that. 108 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:02,440 Not Spain. It was absolutely mind blowing. 109 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:06,200 Rachel and I stopped in our tracks and said we didn't want 110 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:10,920 to continue, that we could stop in Belesa and never ever leave. 111 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:12,880 It was just absolutely beautiful. 112 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,520 Unfortunately we had to carry on because we'd already booked 113 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,400 accommodation elsewhere further on. 114 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:23,480 But if you can find some accommodation in Belesa and stop 115 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,280 there for the night, at the very least you should pencil in a 116 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,640 drink down on the dock by the river. 117 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:35,240 It's also a good place to rest before tackling an absolute 118 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,800 beast of a climb up and out of the valley. 119 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,800 While we're still in the belasar area, about halfway up the 120 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,160 mountain. From there, a place called 121 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:51,200 Bodega via Romana awaits. So why is this special? 122 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:56,280 With your pilgrim's passport, your credenthial, they'll give 123 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:00,240 you a free glass of wine from the surrounding vineyards that 124 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:04,080 you can enjoy on some wooden decking where you get even 125 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,200 better views of Belisar from up in the clouds. 126 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,920 Little shout out to Louise and Christina who came running 127 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:14,680 outside as we passed to let us know, otherwise we would have 128 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:18,280 just carried on our merry way. It was the most pleasant 129 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,920 surprise after a day of extremely tough trekking. 130 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,760 A free glass of wine where we could take in those stunning 131 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:30,120 views. There were some really good 132 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,720 municipal Albergs that we stayed in too. 133 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:38,440 BIA Viecha was modern, clean and a port in the proverbial storm 134 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:43,000 after a really tough climb at the end of a long first day. 135 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:47,200 I want to say modern. I think this Alberg had been 136 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:52,960 designed by a Pilgrim because every single bunk bed had its 137 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:58,760 own lamp and its own plug socket as well, which as we all know is 138 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:04,000 really, really convenient. You will need to take supplies 139 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,960 though, because if there's no supermarkets close by, it's a 140 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,440 really tiny little hamlet up there nestled at the top of the 141 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,280 mountain. And to book there in Bereja, you 142 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,560 have to e-mail the local town hall. 143 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:20,560 They then reply with an entrance code and you have to send a 144 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:23,200 picture of your passport, your ID, whatever. 145 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,160 With that. If you want to know the e-mail 146 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:29,360 address for that, just send me a private message on Facebook or 147 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,200 Instagram and I'll send you the e-mail. 148 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:33,520 You can find it on Google as well. 149 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,600 That's how I found it, but if you can't find it, feel free to 150 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,600 send me a message and I will send that to you. 151 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:43,640 The price was €10 per person per night for the Municipal Albert 152 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,760 in Bier Viecha. Now the same applies to the 153 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,840 Municipal Albert in Villa Martin, which I would highly 154 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,600 recommend. Lovely location right by the 155 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,480 Riverside. When we arrived we got our 156 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,640 journals, we went and sat down by the river, wrote our 157 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:03,280 journals, just listened to the the stream bubbling past, 158 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:07,040 absolutely lovely. If you are going to overnight 159 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,440 there at the municipal Alburga Villa Martin, you do have to 160 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,040 take some supplies. There are some amenities in the 161 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:17,440 local town as well but it is a fair walk away and there are 162 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,360 also cooking facilities as there are cooking facilities in the 163 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,880 Alburga via Vieja, so you can take supplies to cook that. 164 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,240 We cooked up some pasta and it was quick and easy. 165 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,760 So yes, Villa Martin, when you get there there's a number on 166 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,920 the door you have to call the hospital aired at Maria will 167 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,240 give you an entry code over the phone. 168 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,760 The price to stay there is €8. They did have some bottled water 169 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,840 on site as well for sale which came in very very handy because 170 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,760 it was Father's Day we when we arrived and everything was 171 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,360 closed. So Alburgh right down by the 172 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,400 river, Villa Martin, highly recommend that. 173 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:05,640 Now it was in Villa Martin that I ditched an item I'd taken. 174 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,800 I'd packed on every single Camino up to now. 175 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,880 Unfortunately me and my poncho fell out of love. 176 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,760 My backpack was feeling heavy because of carrying supplies. 177 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,320 I estimate with supplies I probably had about 7 to 8K in my 178 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:25,440 back. And one of the negatives about 179 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,600 the winter way is there are long stretches with no provisions, no 180 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:33,680 shops, so you do have to carry food, water and snacks for large 181 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:36,400 parts of this Camino. That is one of the negatives. 182 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:41,680 Something had to go. It was either the poncho or the 183 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:45,760 sleeping bag. I chose the poncho and left it 184 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,320 there for someone else who might need it. 185 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:51,200 What did I plan to use instead of the poncho? 186 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,720 Well I already had a waterproof cover for my backpack. 187 00:11:53,880 --> 00:12:00,000 I have quick drying combat cut off trousers and a quick drying 188 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,000 waterproof hoodie as well. So I thought why am I carrying 189 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:04,800 in this this poncho? It's unnecessary. 190 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:06,800 I had to get spread of some weight from my back and it apart 191 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,200 from the sleeping bag, it was the heaviest thing. 192 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,440 It was also in Villa Martin that we decided to take a train and 193 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,120 miss out a couple of stages. Now why do we do this? 194 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,000 I had to reduce our trip because our dog has been very sick. 195 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:23,080 In fact, she's been that I'll we came close to cancelling it 196 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:25,120 altogether. In the end. 197 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:29,400 I thought that maybe we could squeeze 10 days into 8, but once 198 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:34,080 we started and realized how tough each stage was, The stages 199 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,840 are long. But also what makes it even 200 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,080 longer and exacerbates that is the fact that it's punctuated 201 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,880 frequently with some brutal long climbs. 202 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,960 It soon became apparent that doing squeezing 10 days into 8 203 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,760 wouldn't be enjoyable. To do so we'd richly have to 204 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:54,920 walk every minute of every day until we truck. 205 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,600 So if you've only got a week or so, you could do what we did. 206 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,360 Walk to the La Martin, then take a train to stay 6 at Montforte 207 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,920 de Lemos, missing stages four and five. 208 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,720 As I said, it wasn't originally our plan, but with my dog so 209 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,560 I'll and me thinking I could be coming home to a deceased doggie 210 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,600 and a traumatized dog sitter, A reduced trip seemed like the 211 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,720 best option in the circumstances. 212 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:23,960 The good news is my dog's still hanging in there. 213 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,800 So I also want to tell you quickly about some great bars 214 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,560 and cafes along the way, including one in Santiago where 215 00:13:32,560 --> 00:13:35,600 we had a lovely meal. So eating establishment 216 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:39,080 establishments, should I say bajo cinco? 217 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,040 So that's BAJOBAJO cinco. Bajo cinco. 218 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:48,080 In O Barco, there's a lovely Uruguayan owner called Naya. 219 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,400 As soon as we walked through the door, she hit us without buen 220 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:56,600 Camino peregrinos and the service was very, very friendly. 221 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,080 She gave us a stamp, which is what you always want when you 222 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,680 start for a coffee, and before we left, she insisted we take a 223 00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:07,680 shot of some weird concoction that tasted like a mix of 224 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,120 Baileys and Sambuca. Now it was 11:00 in the morning, 225 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,160 and I'm not the biggest fan of alcohol these days. 226 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:21,400 My first instinct was to say thank you, but no thank you. 227 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,000 But I didn't want to deflect the good energy that she was 228 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,320 throwing our way. And that's something that Eileen 229 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:30,240 Lasky talked about in the in the last episode, which is, you 230 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:31,720 know, keeping that good energy going. 231 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,160 So it was nice. I'll tell you what, it gave me a 232 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,480 little bit of birdies flying around my head for the next 10 233 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,800 minutes. But lots of character, the 234 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,480 owner, Naya, and really, really friendly. 235 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,800 And the coffee was really, really good as well. 236 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,960 So that Bakosin got in or Barko stopped there. 237 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:55,360 Now in a place called Shantada that is on stage 6, there's a 238 00:14:55,360 --> 00:15:00,240 place called Capital Cafe and we got four really nice coffees and 239 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,640 two croissants. Or how much would you think that 240 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,720 would cost you in your own hometown? 241 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,680 Just take a moment to think. In my hometown back home, that 242 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:12,920 would probably set me back. I would say nigh on £20. 243 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,880 Here it costs half that price. It was less than a tenner, about 244 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,560 980, something like that. Four coffees and two huge 245 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,440 chocolate croissants. And it was really, really nice 246 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:28,800 as well in a place called Sierra, which is the second last 247 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:32,640 stage. And we ate at a really, really 248 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:40,320 nice place called Bar a Pedra. So that's Bar a Pedra, APEDRA, 249 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,560 Bar a Pedra. If you didn't get that the first 250 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,960 time, you can just skip back and listen to that. 251 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:49,680 It's a lovely lady called Rosalina that runs that place 252 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,280 and the food was excellent and she topped it off with a really 253 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:58,600 nice Biscoff cheesecake, which was very, very, very naughty, 254 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,640 but very, very, very nice. On the final stage, there was a 255 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:06,160 place called Hostile O Crusado in Ponte Uya. 256 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:12,920 Hostile O Crusado in Ponte Uya, Great food with a really nice 257 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:18,520 meal and we got fantastic lodgings which was our own 258 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:24,400 private room and private bathroom for just €33, so I 259 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,080 highly recommend all of those places. 260 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:33,840 Lastly, in Santiago de Compostela, in a quiet 261 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:38,760 backstreet with views of the cathedral, we ate at a place 262 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:42,720 called a Fuego Lento. That's a Fuego Lento. 263 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:46,280 The tapas, should I say, was absolutely excellent. 264 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:51,560 And cold beer, warm afternoon, silky as anything. 265 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:53,520 Really, really recommend that place. 266 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,000 So why did we, why did I fall in love with the Camino de 267 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,000 Liviernon? Why is it possibly my favorite 268 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:06,720 Camino of all time right now? Well, the first few days from 269 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:12,880 Castilla Ilean we were escorted out of Ponferada and into the 270 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,280 countryside by snow capped mountains. 271 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,680 And that's one of the lovely things about walking in spring. 272 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:22,040 You've still got snow on the mountains and you've got the 273 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,160 winter Thor running next to you most of the way. 274 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,480 Absolutely lovely. And part of that winter for was 275 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:35,160 feeding the the white water Rivers, waterfalls just came out 276 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:37,320 of nowhere. Frequently you've been walking 277 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,320 along, you hear the sound of running water and before you 278 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,080 knew it, there was a waterfall just right by you. 279 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:44,400 You could stick your hands in it. 280 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,680 It's just absolutely lovely, stunning countryside, really 281 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:53,720 colourful spring in full bloom. The butterflies bouncing along 282 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:58,320 all the way with us too. Really, really nice, beautiful, 283 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:02,800 uplifting Camino. It was really quiet, as I 284 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:07,400 mentioned before, we only saw pilgrims on the final day when 285 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,120 we crossed paths with the San Abreast. 286 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:14,680 And the Camino spirit is well and truly alive. 287 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,920 And the locals? So lovely, so friendly, so 288 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:24,560 approachable, so full of life, so inspiring with their good 289 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:26,240 energy and how helpful they were. 290 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:32,480 And I'll get into a few stories about the locals in a moment, 291 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,160 which really embodied there's everything that's good about the 292 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,320 Camino. There was very little roadside 293 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,360 walking to which I really, really liked. 294 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,640 If you hit roads, you weren't on the road for long. 295 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:50,320 And I can just remember walking the Camino Portuguese in Lisbon 296 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:52,600 and Porto and thinking, God, this is horrible. 297 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,040 I'm just walking along roads. There's points where I had to 298 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:59,760 jump into ditches and to to avoid traffic. 299 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,440 There was very, very little of that. 300 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,920 If if none of that. Obviously I can't speak for days 301 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,320 4:00 and 5:00, but it doesn't look like from the from the 302 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:10,920 guide book, from John Briley's excellent guide book that there 303 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:14,760 is any of that. So yeah, very little roadside 304 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:17,960 walking and waymarks were very, very good too. 305 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,720 I really think this Camino was mapped out by someone who had 306 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,760 walked many Caminos and knew exactly what they were doing. 307 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:29,560 And we're looking it at it from the point of view, from the 308 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:35,720 mindset of a Pilgrim. So about those nice stories that 309 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,920 embody everything that's good about the Camino and about why 310 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,200 the locals and how the locals were so lovely, friendly and 311 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,320 approachable. So there's one day I was walking 312 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,720 off into the middle of into the middle of nowhere. 313 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,040 I'd walked past the Camino sign, Rachel would stop to take some 314 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:53,880 photos. So we'd got to separate it a 315 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,760 little bit. And I was in a little village 316 00:19:56,760 --> 00:20:00,080 and I started walking off as you do, kind of lost in your 317 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:01,920 thoughts. And someone shouted out their 318 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:03,280 window. An old lady shattered out of 319 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,240 their window. Peregrino Poraki. 320 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:10,040 Poraki, which is pretty much Pilgrim. 321 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,240 This way, this way, you've gone the wrong way. 322 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:14,720 She didn't have to do that. She could have just watched me 323 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:15,920 walk off into the middle of nowhere. 324 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:17,120 It might have been quite funny for her. 325 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,640 But no, she was actually really, really nice. 326 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:24,440 And yeah, just really nice to know that the locals have got 327 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:28,320 you back. So anyone that's walking on your 328 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,760 own, you can have that support network out there in the in the 329 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,920 shape of the locals. There was a moment where we're 330 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:38,600 about 3 kilometers from a town. It was the end of the day. 331 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,120 The sun was coming down, and there was a farmer on the back 332 00:20:42,120 --> 00:20:45,520 of a tractor who shouted to us, only a little bit to go. 333 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,400 Keep going, guys. Keep going, guys. 334 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:48,840 You know, he didn't have to do that. 335 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,280 And I just thought, you know, these are just such magical 336 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:55,480 moments. And I found myself feeling so 337 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:59,880 grateful in these turbulent times to be experiencing such 338 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:08,840 moments of peace. This episode is sponsored by my 339 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,440 Camino de Santiago best selling memoir, The Only Way is W. 340 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:17,240 One of the latest five star reviews goes a little something 341 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,600 like this reviewed by Mel in the United Kingdom. 342 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,240 I absolutely loved it. It was refreshing and 343 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,200 entertaining in the way it was written. 344 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:30,040 I was Googling the places he stopped at and the towns and 345 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:31,640 villages he walked along the way. 346 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,440 It almost made me want to walk the Camino de Santiago myself. 347 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,080 Then I bought a glass of wine and read some more. 348 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:41,720 Can't blame you for that Mel. A very well written book. 349 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,840 I'm now going to read his second book Not From Round Here. 350 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:49,920 So if you'd like a refreshing and entertaining read about the 351 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,320 Camino de Santiago, then look no further. 352 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:56,760 Search on Amazon for The Only Way is West by Bradley 353 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:05,520 Chermside. There was another lovely moment. 354 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,680 We were walking out of Chantala early morning and there was an 355 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:13,880 older lady and as we walked past, she came out of a bakery. 356 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,520 She saw us both. She put her hands into a prayer 357 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:22,280 pose, bowed and said Buen Camino peregrinos, which was just so 358 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,160 lovely. It's the little things, isn't 359 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,280 it? And I was thinking on this 360 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:32,000 Camino about not only is the Camino about rewilding, waking 361 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,000 up with the sunset, going to bed. 362 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,440 Sorry, waking up with the sunrise, going to bed with the 363 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:41,200 sunsets, spending all day outdoors, being out amongst 364 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,280 nature, being amongst the animals, as you always end up 365 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,800 doing on the Camino. I can't tell you how many times 366 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:52,480 I had to stop to let cows go past with their farmers this 367 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,680 time. And it's also the, the Spanish, 368 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,880 because time has stood still in so many of these places. 369 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:01,640 People are not stuck to their phones. 370 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:03,800 They're out there working in agriculture. 371 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,920 They're doing what they do in their fields, doing what they do 372 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:09,960 in their gardens, doing what they do with the in the, in the 373 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:14,000 grapevines. And it's just a way not only to, 374 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:18,920 to rewild but rehuman just what it's like to just speak to 375 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,960 people, strangers. There's a really nice moment 376 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:26,200 where I walk past 1 village and as I was walking out there was 377 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:28,760 an older gentleman and he said to me, did you manage to fill 378 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,080 out with water? And I said, well, no actually 379 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,360 because I already did so in the previous town. 380 00:23:34,360 --> 00:23:36,920 He said, oh, you made a mistake, you should have filled up here. 381 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:39,680 We've been drinking this water for 60 years. 382 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:41,360 The best water you'll find anywhere. 383 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,120 And like I say, it's like times to steal someone being proud of 384 00:23:45,120 --> 00:23:48,080 their water supply. I just felt that was so, so 385 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:53,480 lovely and just how the locals interact with you and they don't 386 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,400 have to, you know, they could just let us walk on past. 387 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:00,520 But they, that Camino spirit, that famous Camino spirit is 388 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:03,280 really alive. And it might because it is the 389 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,400 road less travelled and they're not used to seeing pilgrims. 390 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:07,400 So it's quite a nice treat for them when they do. 391 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,560 But whatever the reason, the locals really put some bounce in 392 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,480 our boots, springing our step. And it made me feel really good 393 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,960 about living in Spain, made me feel really grateful to be a 394 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:22,000 British person being able to live in this wonderful country. 395 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:26,800 And I am just a foreigner and they're just treating me so 396 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,000 nice. And these in these times of anti 397 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:33,320 foreigner sentiment, it's just really, really nice to hear. 398 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:36,160 Like time stood still. They're not affected by what's 399 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:41,280 going on. So what else was special about 400 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:43,000 the Camino? I mean, I've already mentioned 401 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,120 it. Those snow capped mountains, the 402 00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:49,320 white water rivers, the waterfalls, spring bloom. 403 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:54,800 And one more special, special moment was when we were walking 404 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:59,520 into Santiago. So just when we thought we'd 405 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:05,160 done all the beastly inclines and heals as we got into 406 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:10,120 Santiago, there was one more to do leading us into the city 407 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:11,640 center. We just couldn't believe it. 408 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:15,120 It was like a stairway. A vertiginous stairway to heaven 409 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,640 and I I even called the Camino a name. 410 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:19,560 I called it a bad name. I won't repeat it. 411 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,520 I was like, oh you absolute beep. 412 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:26,840 I was angry. But anyway, we're walking up the 413 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:31,480 hill, me and Rachel trudging up the final stretch, tough climb 414 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,640 into the city center and there was a car at junction that I 415 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:40,360 gestured to let past the older gentleman in the car. 416 00:25:40,360 --> 00:25:44,280 The old boy in the car bear a on cigar in his mouth. 417 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,000 He gestured for us to pass, which we gratefully accepted. 418 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:52,120 As we did, he wound down his window. 419 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:54,920 Now he didn't buzz it down because it wasn't an electric 420 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,320 window. He he wound it down in his old 421 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,960 motor and he insisted that he called us over, called me over. 422 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,480 He was stopping traffic as well behind him. 423 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,520 I felt bad because all the traffic was behind him, but he 424 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:10,480 did. He made a point to make A to 425 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,760 make a stop to do this. Take time to do this. 426 00:26:13,120 --> 00:26:18,440 He pulled out of his pocket a prayer card, a Santiago Apostle 427 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,240 prayer card, and he gave it to me. 428 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:26,160 And Rachel was in tears. Not only because it had been a 429 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,400 tough Camino and she was happy to arrive in Santiago, but 430 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:33,000 because she's a very, very devout Catholic and it meant a 431 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,880 lot to her. And because some old boy had 432 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,000 taken the time to give us a prayer card and I translated it 433 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,880 for her as we walked in and and she was in tears as we walked in 434 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,400 the Santiago. So it was a really, really nice 435 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,840 moment. And another MO, another example 436 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:51,760 of how choosing to do the Camino, deciding to the Camino 437 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:55,400 is one of the best presents you can ever give to yourself. 438 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,640 It gives you a lift, even if you didn't know you needed one. 439 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,960 I can honestly say when I went on this Camino, I didn't know I 440 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:04,480 was down in the down in the doldrums, but I really was. 441 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:07,960 I think I've been doing a lot of work and spend a lot of time 442 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,720 staring at my screen working on my third book. 443 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:15,680 And yeah, it was all work and and no play, not a lot of social 444 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,000 time because I've been stuck indoors doing this when I wasn't 445 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:22,920 gigging. So yeah, but once I got out into 446 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,680 nature, out in the open, interacting with the 447 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:29,720 delightfully enchanting locals, that the Camino really lifted me 448 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:33,040 up. So yeah, the Camino has some 449 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,080 magic power. I don't know what it is. 450 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,400 I wish I could bottle it and take a drink of it every day. 451 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:44,480 OK, Now I did mention a bad experience and this came in some 452 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:48,920 accommodation that was recommended in John Briley's 453 00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:52,760 Camino in Vietnam guide book. I must say the guide book was 454 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:54,920 excellent. Most of the time. 455 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,800 The information was really, really reliable and I don't know 456 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:04,200 if there's been updated version since 2024 when I bought this, 457 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,560 this guidebook, this John Bradley guidebook. 458 00:28:08,120 --> 00:28:11,960 But it was a lesson learned. So the accommodation would like 459 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:18,120 a squat and I'd already broken the golden rule of looking 460 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,920 checking accommodation before buying it because it came 461 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:23,560 recommended in the Bradley guide. 462 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,920 So I thought, well it's in the Bradley guide, it must be good. 463 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,200 Had already paid for the meal as well before we came down and ate 464 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:34,320 it. And mine was barely edible. 465 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:39,680 It was cold. Rachel's supposedly vegetarian 466 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,000 soup had piece of meat in it. The owner had obviously just 467 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,800 tried to pick the pieces of meat out manually, which was pretty 468 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:48,720 grim. There was no hot water running 469 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,240 for the first few hours. In the end they did get the 470 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:56,160 whole water running, thankfully. And because, you know, we paid 471 00:28:56,320 --> 00:29:01,080 nearly €40 for this room, we just expected it to have hot 472 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,840 water. OK, first world problems, 473 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,320 granted, but when you pay £40 for room, you do expect to have 474 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:10,320 hot water and you don't expect it to look like a squat either. 475 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:15,480 And the moral of the story here was, even if it comes 476 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,600 recommended by someone, still check it. 477 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:22,680 That's what I learned. And I'm not going to mention 478 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,280 the, the place because that wouldn't be fair on the place. 479 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,560 I would just say please do check the just check your 480 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,200 accommodation. You can make your, your own, 481 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:34,560 draw your own conclusions once you've checked it. 482 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,960 And I will also say that we didn't go anywhere else in that 483 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,280 particular town because there's, there was nowhere else to stay 484 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,040 in that town. We'd already paid our money. 485 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:48,120 We couldn't go anywhere else. So we just had to, you know, we 486 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:49,840 just had to, it was tough cheese. 487 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,720 It was a case of tough cheese. Just say it's only for one 488 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:54,120 night, we'll survive. And that's that. 489 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,240 That was one lesson. Here's a few more. 490 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:02,800 So another one would be to carry some water filtration device, 491 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,440 some form of water filtration device. 492 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:08,840 Because like I said before, there are long stretches where 493 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:13,040 you, there aren't any supermarkets, there are only 494 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:14,880 water fountains that you can fill up. 495 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:18,120 And many of them, it didn't say if it was drinkable or not 496 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:20,080 drinkable. It was just a water fountain. 497 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,920 The way I decided to make my own mind up over that was how it 498 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:26,840 tasted. If it tasted a bit a bit rough, 499 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:29,760 a bit chemically, I didn't fill up. 500 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,800 And if it didn't, then I did fill up. 501 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:37,000 I managed to drop in a few electrolyte tablets which gave 502 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,080 it some some flavour, which made it more palatable. 503 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:45,600 But yeah, I would carry some form of water filtration device 504 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,480 on the Camino in Vietnam and maybe on another Camino 505 00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:52,760 actually, because, you know, you don't know when you might run 506 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:54,040 out of water and need to fill up. 507 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:57,560 So that's one thing I learned. And a water filtration device in 508 00:30:57,560 --> 00:30:59,960 the formation of tablets wouldn't weigh so much. 509 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:05,880 I also learned the hard way here not to wear black because even 510 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:10,760 when the sunshine is weaker in springtime and winter, it can 511 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,680 still get hot once that sun comes up. 512 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:19,120 So I wouldn't take a black waterproof hoodie like I took 513 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,520 with me this time. Something that reflects the sun, 514 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:26,120 not absorbs the sun. OK, it sounds like I'm teaching 515 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:28,760 you to suck eggs, but I just. I made that mistake. 516 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:30,600 So who's saying someone else wouldn't? 517 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:35,160 Don't carry a poncho for the aforementioned reasons. 518 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:40,360 You can just get a lightweight backpack cover, have a 519 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:43,480 waterproof top as long as you're with all the materials you're 520 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,240 wearing. A quick try they'll they'll try 521 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,800 while you're walking. Also for the Camino in Vietnam 522 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:52,600 specifically, try to make a 14 day itinerary to make it less 523 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:57,600 demanding and more enjoyable and not have to walk 30 + K every 524 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,280 day. And to boot, you've got lots of 525 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:06,640 inclines that make that 30 K even longer for the accumulation 526 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:10,760 ascent. I would also like to mention 527 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,640 that Scotch Guard really does work. 528 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:18,560 So Scotch Guard is a spray that I put onto my Skechers running 529 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:22,680 shoes that were not waterproof. Scotch Guard, Scotch Guard makes 530 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:25,240 them waterproof. Or at least I hoped it did. 531 00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:28,280 And yes, it bloody well did. There were times when we were 532 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:33,760 walking over cobblestones or terrain where the winter thaw, 533 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:36,520 the spring thaw should I say, was actually running on the 534 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:41,200 Camino path and you had to pretty much splash your weight 535 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:46,120 along the Camino and water did not get into my shoes or make my 536 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:48,160 socks wet. So if you want to take a 537 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:52,000 lightweight running shoe and then waterproof, it was Scotch 538 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,520 Guard spray. That really does work. 539 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,680 Hiking poles. I never used them before. 540 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,200 I used Rachels every now and again and I have to say I'm 541 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,800 converted. It really helps you when you're 542 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,960 going uphill to propel you uphill, really helps you when 543 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,720 you're going downhill. By all accounts, it does take 544 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,000 some of the force out of your joints as well. 545 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:18,040 I'm converted on using them and I didn't use them all the time 546 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,920 this time because obviously they were Rachels, but she was trying 547 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,480 to get convinced me to use them. So I did try them out. 548 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:28,760 Really like them and thank you to the Shell toucher for sending 549 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:34,320 us those walking pole tips. And look up shelltoucher.com for 550 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:37,440 loads of his merchandiseshelltoucher.com for 551 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:41,840 lots of his merchandise and what else? 552 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,520 Ah, mistake I made here. If you want to get the bus to 553 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:49,160 Santiago Airport from the city centre, make sure you get it 554 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:53,320 from the train station because we went out early morning to get 555 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:57,000 a bus to the airport and I was told I could get it from the 556 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,160 city centre. Well, actually Google told me I 557 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:00,240 could get it from the city centre. 558 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,280 AI told me I could get it from the city centre. 559 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:06,000 So I went to the city centre, but it did not come along and it 560 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:09,400 was only when I hurriedly jumped in a taxi so I wasn't late for a 561 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:14,920 plane that well, I saw a long queue of pilgrims getting onto 562 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,120 the airport bus. That airport bus will cost you 563 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:20,880 between 1:00 and 3:00, EUR 1 to €3. 564 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:24,000 I couldn't exactly how much it cost this time because I never 565 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:25,880 got on it. It was €1.00 the last time I did 566 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:30,040 it, €1.00 last time I did it, but I have a sneaker suspicion 567 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:31,800 it may have gone up a couple of EUR. 568 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:36,960 So yes, sit Airbus 6, say don't get a taxi for 24 quid like we 569 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:39,880 did. You can get a tax a bus should I 570 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:45,320 say for around about 1 to €3. Talking of saving cash, how did 571 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:47,040 what was the travel hack that I mentioned? 572 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,480 So as I was walking, I thought, you know what? 573 00:34:50,679 --> 00:34:54,679 Why don't I, when I get to Santiago the Compostela, why 574 00:34:54,679 --> 00:34:58,720 don't I go to the post office and see if I can send our 575 00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:03,160 rucksacks home with the Postal Service in Spain? 576 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:05,760 And we could. It was a lovely surprise. 577 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:09,680 So instead of. Having to pay to take our bag on 578 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:12,200 two different planes because I had to get 2 planes home. 579 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:14,800 Santiago, Barcelona, Barcelona, Mauricio. 580 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:20,760 I managed to get it sent home for €27.00 each bag. 581 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,160 Now it was would have cost more than that to send the bags. 582 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:27,160 Not only would have had to pay more, I would have to check it 583 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:31,040 in twice, pick it up twice, save the lot hassle. 584 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:36,880 Didn't have to carry my bag around the airports as well, and 585 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:39,680 three days later it got delivered to my house. 586 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:41,600 Now, I know not everybody lives in Spain. 587 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:43,320 If you do live in Spain, you can do that. 588 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:46,840 But if you live internationally and you're sending it to America 589 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:50,520 or the UK or wherever the likelihood hood is is probably 590 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:52,320 cheaper and easier to just put it on the plane. 591 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:56,960 But it might be just checking out how much it might be to UPS 592 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:58,920 at home. If you're thinking of staying on 593 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:05,080 for a couple of days, visit in Santiago or doing an extra trip 594 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,160 somewhere else and you don't want to carry your Pilgrim stuff 595 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:08,920 around with you, you could send it home. 596 00:36:09,240 --> 00:36:13,720 It might be worth investigating how much it cost you to send 597 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:18,760 your bag home from Santiago instead of checking it in, 598 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:21,760 having to pick it up and all that kind of stuff. 599 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:25,400 So that was a travel hack that really saved US time, money, and 600 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,880 hassle. I would also say a lesson 601 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:31,080 learned here was, or a lesson reaffirmed is that Vaseline on 602 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:35,120 the feet really, really works. No blisters yet again. 603 00:36:35,720 --> 00:36:41,720 And I took my socks off halfway through every day, put the 604 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:45,000 Vaseline on the feet again halfway through the day, and I 605 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:48,000 had no blisters, which I was really, really, really happy 606 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,640 about. So those are the lessons learned 607 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,080 from this Camino, lessons that can be applied to all Caminos. 608 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,120 To round up about the Winter way, here we go. 609 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:01,400 If you are looking for a quiet Camino studded with snow capped 610 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:05,880 mountains, waterfalls and Riverside walking, this could be 611 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:09,560 the one for you. But really important to take 612 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:13,400 into account, the Winter way is not for beginners. 613 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:18,000 There are very many long stretches with no facilities, so 614 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:21,440 there are many days when you have to load up with water and 615 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:26,120 snacks to keep you going. Neither is this a Camino to just 616 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:30,000 go with the flow. It is not abundant with 617 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,960 accommodation options. It's not abundant with 618 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:36,320 supermarkets and shops you can stop in or pharmacies along the 619 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:39,600 way. You need to plan your steps, 620 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:44,280 your stops, your accommodation, your itinerary in advance. 621 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:46,960 Highly, highly, highly recommended to do so. 622 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:51,400 Were I to walk the Camino in Vietnam again, I would, like I 623 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:55,120 said before, set aside 14 days of walking to make it more 624 00:37:55,120 --> 00:38:00,920 enjoyable and drinking those stunning views that lifted me up 625 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:05,160 all the way. There was one point where on the 626 00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:13,240 second day between Las Medulas and a town called Puente de 627 00:38:13,240 --> 00:38:21,400 Domingo Flores, I was walking down the mountain and the snow 628 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:28,920 capped peaks were extending as far as the I could see mountain 629 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:34,440 tops of different heights, snow capped peaks and I was walking 630 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:38,320 down the mountain. There was a waterfall dropping 631 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:41,960 into a white water river way down below. 632 00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:48,880 From a very high vantage point, the mountain sides were covered 633 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:55,000 in dense forests. And I don't think I've ever seen 634 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,840 natural beauty like it. And I just laughed. 635 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:01,760 I don't know why I laughed. I put my hands on my head and 636 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:06,520 laughed as if to say, how is something this beautiful even 637 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,720 possible? So grateful for that moment, 638 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:14,840 like I said in these turbulent times and I felt so lucky and 639 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,880 privileged to be in Spain, a country that's let me live here. 640 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:26,520 Just a moment where I, my spine shivered, I had goosebumps, the 641 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:31,800 hairs on my arms were an end, and I just was so grateful for 642 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:37,600 those views and the natural beauty and Mother Nature showing 643 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:44,040 off in front of my eyes. And so no, there were quite a 644 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:47,040 few moments like this on the Camino in Vienna where I just 645 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:50,960 laughed at how beautiful it was. The only time I've ever seen 646 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:54,560 beauty rival to that, I think was when walking from San Jean 647 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:58,720 Bien, the port to Launces Fayes in the Pyrenees. 648 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:02,520 The walk up in the Pyrenees between as you cross the French 649 00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:05,600 border, that took my breath away as well. 650 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:08,000 And there's many moments in the Camino in Vienna that took my 651 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:11,400 breath away, as did the generosity of the locals. 652 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:17,000 As did just like the charming animals, the goats, the sheep, 653 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:20,160 the cows that just keep you company when there's no one else 654 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:23,280 around. So the Camino in Vietnam very 655 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:26,320 much gets the thumbs up from me, very much gets the thumbs up 656 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:29,080 from us. If you're looking for a new 657 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:33,080 Camino, then definitely consider this one. 658 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:37,040 If you're experienced, whatever Camino you're going out on to 659 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:41,840 next, I'd like to wish you every single one of you when coming.